Cabinet accepts Israeli plan to withdraw

THE Palestinian Cabinet yesterday accepted Israel's proposal to begin withdrawing troops from some parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in exchange for security guarantees, even as Israeli troops hunting terror suspects killed five Palestinians in three separate raids.

THE Palestinian Cabinet yesterday accepted Israel's proposal to begin withdrawing troops from some parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in exchange for security guarantees, even as Israeli troops hunting terror suspects killed five Palestinians in three separate raids.

The Cabinet's approval of the plan was preliminary, pending an Israeli-Palestinian security meeting at which details would be discussed, said Palestinian minister Nabil Shaath.

The decision marked a possible way for Israel to ease its military presence in Palestinian areas and came as a senior Palestinian delegation left for talks with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington.

Israeli troops reoccupied seven of the West Bank's eight major towns and cities in June in an attempt to prevent attacks on their citizens.

Under the withdrawal plan presented by Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, troops would gradually begin withdrawing from Palestinian-ruled parts of Gaza and the West Bank town of Bethlehem, in exchange for Palestinian guarantees that no attacks would be launched from those areas.

The Palestinian Cabinet endorsed the idea, even though some ministers had demanded that troops withdraw simultaneously from all areas.

An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said, "The test will be whether they fulfil their part."